The 'black sheep' of metal try something completely different.

In a recent interview, Korn frontman Jonathan Davis branded his band the 'black sheep of the metal community', a label that he seems to be proud of. In fitting with this contrarian status, the Californians have transcended the genre's borders with an album that is set to divide the band's fanbase down the middle.

With 'The Path of Totality', Korn have attempted to combine metal with dubstep in a move that keeps their output fresh yet not necessarily true to their roots.  Their willingness to produce something so dissimilar to their previous nine albums must be commended though, especially as the record is of a sufficient quality to justify such a departure for the most part.

Tracks such as 'Chaos Lives in Everything' and 'Narcissistic Cannibal' are vicious enough to please even those who may have thought that such a fusion of genres wouldn't work.  In the past, bands like The Prodigy and Pendulum have pulled it off to a great degree of success, with Korn following suit with glimpses of brilliance over the course of this eleven track effort.

So even with its minor blips, 'The Path of Totality' is well worth listening to. Yes, the very prospect of the metal-dubstep combination will send the more closed minded metalheads clamouring for the latest re-hashed Iron Maiden box set, but given a fair chance, the album will surprise and entertain in equal measure.

7/10

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